Self Defense

Today most of us are seriously concerned about our security. We invest in expensive home defense systems, take personal defense classes, prepare ourselves and our homes for situations where we may not have electricity, food or water. We may fear civil unrest where law and order break down and we are left at the mercy of looting, unruly mobs.

However, often we pay less attention to protecting our privacy and confidentiality. Since we live in a connected world, we knowingly/unknowingly share a wealth of information with people who could use them for nefarious purposes.

Stalking, identity theft, fraud, financial theft, sexual crimes and much more can result from not securing yourself and your family’s privacy.

What Is Privacy?

The concept of privacy was expounded as far back as during the time of Aristotle. It is considered a fundamental right by many but not really enshrined in the constitutions of many countries. The Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution defines it as “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures …. but upon probable cause.”

In Australia, the 1998 Privacy Act regulates the handling of personal information about individuals or an opinion about an identifiable individual.

Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998 defines it as “the right to respect for your family and private life, your home and your correspondence..”

The right to privacy refers to the right by individuals, groups or business entities to:

be left alone

to take steps to protect information that they consider private and confidential

protect personal information from public scrutiny

protects against misrepresentation

prevents the creation of certain types of knowledge/information based on incidents taken out of context

safeguards information regarding private acts between individuals

safeguards against dissemination of information not relevant to the issue at hand

These rights are available in various forms and degrees in most countries subject to different restrictions.

Protecting Your Privacy

Confidential Matters: Whatever you discuss in private with your doctor, psychiatrist/psychologist, health-care provider, lawyer etc are considered private. There are laws to protect such information from being made public, national standards to protect medical records and personal health information. However, information can be disclosed to certain agencies in case of crime, danger to the patient/self/public, domestic violence, child-abuse, etc. People with disabilities/lowered capacities etc may have lesser rights. Court-orders can by-pass the right to privacy and confidentiality. Read contracts carefully and discuss the issue thoroughly with your health-care services provider or lawyer before you share information.

On-line Privacy: Social media platforms provide a wealth of information – keep them as bare as possible. Lock down your hardware and keep it password-protected. Avoid using common configurations like birthdays, dog’s name, consecutive numbers etc for passwords. Manage your Facebook, Instagram and other social media settings so that you plug information leaks. Change your passwords often and don’t share them with anyone, no matter how close you are. Check links before you click. Avoid logging-in at netbanking sites, clicking on links in your inbox. Don’t respond to calls from banks – call them back instead. Tweak your Google settings to maintain privacy and set up an alert for your name.

Shred Documents: You have to destroy these five types of documents – any that contain your social security number, birth-date, credit-card number, medical insurance numbers and account numbers from financial institutions.

ID-Theft : After-death ID-theft is common. Studies show that nearly 2.5 million estates of deceased are affected by ID-theft annually. Cancel driver’s licenses, notifying credit-card agencies/banks/financial institutions, insurers etc. Protect your kids so that by the time they’re of college-going-age, there are no financial problems due to ID-theft. Check on them when they’re on-line to protect them from child-abuse, porn and stalkers.

Devices: Baby-monitors, wifi-cams, smart TVs, home-automation/security systems, smart-phones etc are potential risks as far as privacy is concerned. Fix the web-cam on your computers to avoid creeps setting them up without your knowledge. Fitness-trackers and running-watches can reveal a wealth of information. Keep wireless-settings turned off

White Lies: If you’re asked to divulge personal information at retail outlets, keep it as fake as possible. Your birthday, where you live, work, studied, hometown, mother’s maiden name etc are all facts that can be used by potential criminals.

Conclusion

Protecting yourself/your loved ones is not only about physical safety. Ensure that your privacy and confidentiality are safe and secure, out of reach of unscrupulous criminals.

Is your perimeter wall secure enough to keep thieves and buglers away? Well, the basic message from security experts is that high walls attract criminals to your home. With soaring crime rates across the world, more people are on the lookout for ways to make their homes secure. Some have even go to the extent of making homes bulletproof by erecting high concrete fences around their homes. Well, you might just be aiding criminals to gain access to your home with such great measures.

Are high walls secure?

High walls are counter-productive when it comes to securing your home for various reasons. Stay with me as I tell you just why you need to avoid high concrete walls that give you a false sense of security.

Visibility is crucial

If there is one thing that criminals like when performing their crimes, it is a place to hide. Any person with an evil mind of conducting a crime will avoid being seen at all costs. The moment they get a good target that gives a hiding spot, they are ready to attack. Take a look at some of the famous robberies and hijacking across the world. Almost 90% of them tend to take place behind high walls. Why is that? The walls provide a good hiding spot where the security or owner of the home will not see them until it is quite late to defend yourself.

A high solid wall prevents visibility both from inside and outside. The people walking across the street near your home, the security and the police or deter criminals from breaking in. However, when they know they cannot be seen once inside, they are tempted to make the first move. What I’m simply saying here is that you’re making your home a good target for buglers and thieves. Security companies in such homes always say they never know what is happening inside.

Enhancing the value of your home wrongly

What are you protecting with such high walls? Those are the kind of questions every passerby near your home will always ask. You will be surprised to see homes in the most secure estates with walls still build walls around their homes. Most buglers are usually attracted to such homes with the knowledge that there are valuables inside. Otherwise, why keep such great protective measures?

High walls keep your best guards out, your neighbors

Did you know the best way to secure your home is make it visible to your neighbors? Neighbors are best placed to notice any unusual activity in your home and raise the alarm when you’re away. However, when you build high walls that prevent them from seeing through, how can they even know that a burglary is taking place?

In a study done, most homeowners with high walls were found to have a false sense of fear. “I’m protecting myself from the people on the street.”

How best can I secure my home then?

There is a limit on the height of walls you can erect in your home especially if you live in urban areas. As much as you want to keep people out and have your privacy, building high concrete walls is not the best solution. The ideal wall length should about 1.8 meters giving at least 40% visibility. However, you can check with your local municipality on the laws around perimeter walls.

Even better, combine concrete walls and steel frames which give good visibility from both outside and inside. Add other security measures like motion sensors, lighting system, and CCTV cameras. Fences are only ideal for keeping children within the compound and preventing trespassing.

Final verdict

Neighborliness and natural surveillance are the best ways to keep any homer secure. You can also look to install motion sensors and things like a camera to deter buglers and thieves further. The only way we can keep our homes secure is to create conditions that deter criminals. A simple design with limited access points and no hidden places is all you need to keep people away.

The 1980-90s period was boom time for home security systems. A plethora of products claiming advanced security technologies flooded the market and provided home-owners with immense peace of mind. People felt safe knowing they had the latest, smartest products available. They also installed security systems because it gave them a 15-20% discount on insurance premiums, based on the level of sophistication of the system.

Today, professional security systems companies and technicians have arrived at the conclusion that a smart crook who is determined, persevering and clued-up can certainly compromise security. In fact, anyone who installs and uses a security system must actually think like a burglar or intruder to really test the effectiveness of the system! Studies show that merely indicating that you have a security system installed can be quite an effective deterrent to opportunistic criminals. A sign or window sticker saying that you have security can be quite effective. Intruders would rather move onto a less guarded place than take a risk.

Meanwhile, how do you tell whether things are in perfect condition?

Effective Or Not?

Good Systems Have The Following: a) Motion detectors at main entry/access points in the home. When they are breached, alarms should sound. b) Video cameras for constant surveillance. c) Central monitoring via a professional security firm that can alert the authorities in case of breach. d) Key-pad or other interface to control entry/exit/access.

Effectiveness Depends On: The quality and features of the system, proper installation, efficient response in case of emergency and regular maintenance. Talk to trusted sources and purchase the right product for your needs. Check the company’s rating and reputation before you purchase.

What Data Does It Capture? Your home security system may consist of CCTV cameras, motion sensors, alarms etc. You need to check in what direction the cameras face. This would be based on the direction from which you perceive the threat to come from. If your cameras face outwards, do they cover the widest possible range? The cameras themselves have to be secured and impossible to disable or destroy.

Does Your Device Have Default Settings? In many cases, standard devices come with default settings and passwords. There are products available on-line that can allow a crook to find out these settings and use them, unless you have changed the default passwords. Some devices may not allow you to change your password – avoid these. Instead, change the default settings immediately and choose strong passwords with combinations of lower and upper case letters, numbers and symbols.

Do Your Security Systems Use The Common Network? Modern wireless routers allow the set-up of multiple access points from the same device. However, it’s wiser to have one that’s dedicated to your security system, phones and computers. Keep your TV, home-automation etc on a separate router. Network segmentation is an important aspect of an effective home security system.

Who Has Access? When you own smart devices, ensure that unauthorized persons don’t have access to them, especially if they have USB ports. There are many back-door entries through which crooks can gain access through Google etc. If your security systems provider doesn’t give you prior information about maintenance staff arriving unannounced to conduct checks etc, this is not the right one for you. Your system should be completely fool-proof against attacks or attempts from opportunistic crooks too.

Evaluating the effectiveness of your home security systems, the first thing you need to do is to understand and thoroughly know everything about it – how it works and what are the features etc.

Conclusion

So, does that mean you throw out your existing systems immediately and install a brand new one? No way!

What you need to do is to stay vigilant, monitor your existing system and check whether it’s still functional and effective. Perhaps it just needs a supplement or some extra add-ons. Get a trusted expert to evaluate the entire set-up and make recommendations.

Installing an effective home security system is crucial to your safety, privacy and the prevention of loss/harm/damage. It can save you from intruders, protect your privacy/valuables and keep your children and loved ones safe. However, you need to regularly monitor the effectiveness of your system and ensure that it’s in perfect working condition.

Pepper spray is the ubiquitous object found in almost every woman’s purse, car glove-compartments or jacket-pockets of back-packing teenagers.

Most popular non-lethal self-defense weapon

It became a mainstream law-enforcement tool in the 1990s and has remained one of the most popular, non-lethal self-defense commodities available in the open market.

Promoted as a great alternative to violent/harmful restraints or attack-response mechanisms, pepper spray’s image has undergone a less than flattering makeover in recent years. It has been demonstrated that it can be a deadly weapon that can cause real damage. However, its use and popularity remain undimmed.

What Is Pepper Spray?

Is pepper spray a food-product? Is it safe to ingest? Can it cause permanent damage? These are questions that interest not just those who flout the law, but also those who may inadvertently find themselves the target of law-enforcement authorities.

The generic name is “Oleoresin Capsicum” and it is derived from the same compound that provides the “heat” and “burn” of habanero chilli peppers. However, this man-made compound is much more potent than naturally grown peppers.

The hottest natural pepper in the world is the bhut jholokia from the north-eastern region of India. Commercial pepper sprays are pegged at nearly five times the intensity of this fiery spice. Spray cans or bottles contain water, alcohol, organic solvents as liquid carriers, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc to propel the basic compound.

When pepper spray is directed at the face, it creates severe incapacity, temporary blindness, breathing difficulties, long-lasting burning-sensation, severe coughing etc that may last for anywhere between 15-45 minutes. High levels of exposure can have a lethal effect as it causes arrhythmia of the heart and neurological effects.

Use It Safely

Obviously, you would never be able to predict when and how your little pepper spray bottle can safe your life or property. But learning to use it the right way can make it effective and safe.

Get familiar with it: There are several products available in the market, each one with a slightly different action, purpose and effect. Most of them shoot a stream till at least 10 feet, but the number of shots available may vary. Practice a few times against a blank wall and see how far it shoots, the direction and amount of liquid dispersed, etc.

Check If It’s Legal: Certain compounds are deemed illegal for public use. They may be meant only for law-enforcement authorities. Check your product for legal requirements. Nearly 20 states in the US have restrictions on the use of pepper spray.

Aiming Right: Don’t aim randomly at the attacker. The idea is to get them in the face or eyes, so that you can make a quick escape. Spraying wildly in the general direction of an attacker not just wastes the spray, it could alert the attacker and enrage them further. Learn to center and fan the spray so that you compensate for poor or inaccurate aim. If you have a cone spray or fogger type, move up and down the attacker’s face.

Quick Draw: Make sure you can access your pepper spray quickly, easily and conveniently. There’s no point in having a can right at the bottom of your voluminous purse, or rummaging around for it when you’re in a crisis. Remember where you keep it and always keep it in the same place. Ensure that it’s in a safe place where children can’t get at it, but also secure enough to avoid falling out by accident. If there’s a snap release, practice using it till you’re able to get a smooth, fast action.

Don’t close your own eyes: People often instinctively shut their own eyes while using the spray. This can be fatal, as it gives your attacker the opportunity to retaliate. Make sure you don’t spray yourself or a friend unintentionally. It can cause a lot of pain. It can also take a few moments to work fully, so be prepared for a response from your attacker in the interim.

Keep It Working: Ensure that your can is not leaking into your purse. Apart from giving you the burns each time you reach into your bag, this also means you have no protection in case of a crisis. If your product is old, hasn’t been used in a long time or looks dented, warped etc,

Conclusion

You are in charge of your own security. Carry the right products, ensure that you know how to use it and practice till you feel confident about using it in a crisis.

Safeguarding oneself is a vital feature of life. You and your loved ones should have protection against the actions of criminals that could harm or kill you, or result in damage/loss of property, breach of confidentiality, privacy or theft of valuables like artwork, documents, scientific and intellectual property etc.

Ensuring safety and protection

Today, there are several methods of ensuring personal safety, protection of businesses and corporations, industrial security, etc. It is the first moral responsibility to avoid danger but when we find ourselves in circumstances that threaten us, it is ethical and absolutely necessary that we defend ourselves.

7 Important Features of Self-Defense

Awareness: Though you don’t have to be obsessed or paranoid about safety, being conscious and aware of potential dangers is essential. You can boost awareness by reading about current events, getting more information about a new place that you’ll be visiting or talking to local people about crime-rates and typical crimes in the area. It’s also essential to be aware that certain behaviors and personal aspects could attract criminals.

Precautions: Once you gain awareness and information, the next step is to take basic precautions. For instance, if there’s a high rate of mugging or women-targeted crimes in that area, caution and planning are important. Inform someone about your schedule, plan ahead so that you’re not stranded looking for a cab at midnight, don’t flaunt valuables and stay alert.

Is Fighting Back An Option? This really depends on many things. If you’re physically fit, confident and have some self-defense training, you can certainly fight back. However, this should be done only after carefully weighing the risks. Otherwise, it may be wiser to let that purse or watch go, rather than risk being stabbed or shot. A study conducted by Brandeis University showed that women who did not fight back were more likely to be raped or harmed.

Self-Defense Training: Many people are inherently conflict-averse and don’t feel they could ever fight back. However, studies show that if you’ve had some training, you can certainly benefit from giving the right response to an attack. You don’t need years of training, long hours of work-outs etc to get self-defense training. A good training organization can develop a protection program that’s customized to your particular goals and needs.

Knowing The Attacker: In many cases, the attacker is someone known to you. In such cases, overcoming the initial shock could cost you valuable minutes as you collect your wits and decide to retaliate. An important part of self-defense training is crossing those emotional barriers and quickly focusing on protecting yourself against the imminent danger.

Self-Defense Products: There are a number of products available in the market that can help you stay safe. You don’t have to purchase a gun to feel protected. Other products are equally effective in repelling or escaping from an attack. These include small canisters of pepper spray which can be conveniently carried in your purse or pocket, accessories like self-defense rings or key-chains with sharp protrusions, Tasers and stun-guns that can knock an attacker out for at least 30 minutes (they have several laws and restrictions – check if they’re legal in your location), personal wearable panic alarms, strike spikes, less-lethal shotgun ammunition, etc.

Family Self-Defense Programs: These programs are very effective because they educate families on safety inside and outside the home. They provide comfort and peace of mind to all in the family, teach co-operation, safety-rules, developing trust or suspicion, etc. It’s a great way to teach children and seniors simple self-defense techniques, awareness and skills. Some programs have focus groups like Mother-Daughter, Father-Son, Grandma-Grandpa, Child-Centric, On-line Safety, etc.

Self-defense Training Offers Many Benefits

Apart from protection, self-defense training provides several other spin-off advantages. It keeps you fit and works on issues like balance which many older people lack. Self-Defense training provides an emotional boost, confidence, discipline and self-esteem, since it teaches us to value ourselves. These programs help us with goal-setting and planning. Another plus is that it improves alertness, reaction time and street-smartness.

Conclusion

The best time to take a self-defense training course is when you don’t really need it! Why wait for a crisis to happen? Instead, invest in the right type of training and continue to practice – who knows when it will come in handy?

The harsh reality is that crime lurks even in the safest of neighborhoods. Intruders, break-ins, stalkers, identity-thieves, con-artists, burglars, hate-crime and many other dangers exist and it takes a split second for your life to be transformed forever.

You can’t be too careful where your safety and security and that of your loved ones are concerned. There are lots of measures you can take to anticipate, prevent and protect yourself from crime.

Don’t be a victim!

Crime crosses all barriers of race, gender, age, socio-economic status, ethnicity and nationality – a reality. Victims and perpetrators come from all possible walks of life. Law-enforcement agencies can protect you to a certain extent, but prevention and vigilance are essential.

Remember that very few crimes are opportunistic ones. They’re not random or chance events. Most of them are well-planned and criminals choose their victims carefully. Staying safe means staying one step ahead of a potential criminal.

Top 10 Tips To Ensure You’re Safe

Make Safety a Habit and Priority: Whether you’re out jogging, with your kids in the park, entering a parking-lot, out on the street, driving home from work or returning from a party, make sure you have all your senses on alert. Allowing yourself to take safety for granted can be dangerous. For instance if you don’t ensure that your burglar-alarms are well-maintained, CCTV cameras are functional, you’re entering a lonely area alone etc, these can cause irremediable problems later.

Trust your instincts: Analyze your own reactions to people and the environment. We all have an extra sense when it comes to safety, but we seldom pay attention. These are the subliminal messages that our brain is sending us based on previous experience, old information, something you’ve seen/read/heard-about. Our internal alarms shouldn’t be ignored.

Avoid Sending Victim Signals: Appearing less-confident, unsure, conveying that you’re new to the place, are lost or confused, distracted etc are sure-fire ways to attract crooks. They are looking for people who aren’t focused, alert or confident. Look people in the eye, let them know you’re aware of them.

Fight or Flight?: This is a judgment that people make based on many things. The same person may choose either option depending on the circumstances, type of threat/criminal, location, time etc. It’s important not to be rigid in making the decision. Often, it’s better to let your purse or valuables go when you’re mugged rather than risk being stabbed, shot or hit on the head.

Take Self-defense Classes: It’s essential that you train your mind and body to react quickly. Petty criminals often get intimidated by someone who fights back, screams, etc. Keeping your body/mind/senses on alert is one of the big benefits of self-defense training. It also gives you confidence and power.

Home Alone: Never be careless about safety in/around your home. Break-ins/rape/burglary are perpetrated by criminals who have studied your home, safety-features and routine. Keep doors/windows secure, security-systems armed, grounds well-lit. If you notice loiterers/suspicious characters/strange vehicles, make a note of them, with complete description and photos if possible. Text your friends/relatives. Don’t keep cash/valuables at home, give out your phone-number randomly. Inform neighbors if you’re going to be away.

Avoid Rigid Routines: Maybe you’re proud of your punctuality and organizing skills. But they could be just what attracts a criminal. Change your timings and routes often. Go to cash-machines during the daylight hours. Don’t flaunt your wealth/valuables.

Conclusion

Safety is something that has to become an everyday habit. Ensure that you’re in charge of your own security and don’t blindly trust someone else to take care of you. Be proactive, smart and alert at all times so that you can get enough time to relax, enjoy what is rightfully yours and ensure that you remain safe.

Do you have what it takes to survive in a street fight or a real dangerous situation? When faced with a violent attack, the only thing that should linger in your mind is staying alive. This is not the time to panic or freeze as most people will do. What you do immediately you’re faced with a violent attack is what will determine whether you will stay alive or dead.

Street fighting for survival

Spin kicks and those nunchucks are quite cool but will do little to keep you alive. If you’re the type that watches lots of action movies, then you have the wrong idea of what it takes to survive a physical confrontation. Movies give you the wrong impression of what you expect is such fights. You will probably see fights lasting for minutes, but that does not happen in reality.

You don’t need the skills of Jet-li of Jason Bourne to defend yourself in a street fight. Rarely will real street fights last for minutes as you see in movies? Most of these fights last for a few seconds, and that is exactly what you need to stay alive. Just a few seconds!

All you need is a handful move executed properly to stay alive. Do you know any specific martial art that could help you defend yourself in a physical confrontation? Well, you’re not alone in this, but it is never too late to learn. Most people will brush aside the idea of learning a self-defense martial art but trust me you will regret that decision when faced with a person with an intent to harm you.

3-No Nonsense martial arts you must learn

I know there are several martial arts for self-defense out there, but I’m not going to look at all of them. You don’t have to master all the self-defense martial arts to be able to protect yourself from an attack. All you need is just one or two martial arts.

It is best to learn one or two martial art techniques but know how to execute them properly. There is no need learning five or six martial art techniques that you cannot execute well. Execution of these techniques is crucial to surviving an attack. Here are the three best martial arts to learn for self-defense:

1. Muay Thai

Muay Thai is a notorious way of kickboxing from Thailand and one that has gained fame because of its association with UFC fighters. This technique makes use of the two hands, feet, knees and elbows to render the attacker useless

In this technique, your hands and fingers become swords and daggers digging into the opponent’s most vulnerable parts of the body. Your shins and forearms on the other hand act as the defensive shield protecting you from his kicks and throws.

2. Krav Maga

Krav maga is another great self-defense style and one used by the Israel Defense Army. It is a famous self-defense technique that has gained popularity across the world and used by hardcore armies around the world. The technique is aimed at punching and kicking the attacker in a fast way that you disarm them.

It was designed to help the army disarm terror groups with a gun or knife in a street fight. Just imagine being faced with a guy having a gun or a knife in front of you with the intent to shoot. Will you just stare and wait for death? This technique wasn’t initiated and executed properly will not only disarm the person but also harm him and give you an escape route.

3 Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu is an intelligent martial art technique that relies on the skillful use of the body to beat a much bigger opponent physically. This is a perfect option if you don’t have the body of the Hulk. Instead of trying to match your opponent’s throws and kicks, the fight is taken to the ground and won on joint locks and choking. This is a must learn technique especially for the small-bodied guys.

Conclusion

You just have to learn at least of one of this self-defense martial art depending on what suits you. Danger is everywhere we go, and the best we can do is getting ready to fight when forced to fight. However, engaging in a physical fight should be your last option even when you’re skilled in such techniques.

How to bulletproof your home is not a hard task as it seems. Most people imagine bullet-proofing a home will require high-density materials like Kevlar but such materials are quite expensive. You’ve probably seen movies where a guy hides under a table and doesn’t get shot by flying bullets. Most people have the false idea of what will protect them from bullets.

Is my home bulletproof?

Well, your home is far from bulletproof as most appliances in the house are thin sheets of steel that cannot stop the momentum of a bullet. The furniture in your house will not stand any chance against bullets even the 22 LR which is considered a small caliber bullet. There is nothing in your home close to stopping a bullet, but that should not worry you if you’re reading this.

I know there are those wondering why bulletproof your home?

If you’re stuck in your house and there is a bad guy outside shooting, your gun might not protect you enough if your home is not bulletproof. You need at least a safe place to stand and shoot back without being shot. The US Army has solved such by using sandbags which are quite effective even to a 50 caliber bullet.

Well, for your case, you won’t need a sandbag unless for emergencies. Who wants the sight of sandbags in his front door, bedroom or living space? There is a need for a more permanent solution, and this is what we will discuss in this article.

Steps on how to bulletproof your home

Determine the nature of threat you anticipate: You will not just be attacked without any probable cause. You need to understand the nature of threat you’re protecting against and get the right materials to match such threat. Threats from paramilitary terrorists will need greater protection than those from an urban intruder looking for valuables in your home. Once you’ve made the determination, look for the necessary materials from laboratories that deal with bulletproofing. The chosen material should match your threat.

Replace aluminum, wood and vinyl siding with a stone veneer or full brick: Stones are bricks are ideal for stopping bullets. The only thing stones and bricks might not stop is a grenade which will rarely be used in case of an attack. Furthermore, stones and bricks are relatively cheap and ideal for most middle-class families that don’t have a lot of money to spend on bulletproofing a home. However, make sure you install the full thickness of the bricks and stones and not some thin veneer that will not protect a lot.

Install bullet resistant fiberglass wall panels: The dry inner wall will not protect you from bullets so remove them and instead install fiberglass wall panels. Fiberglass panels come at different prices, and one needs to choose one that corresponds to the threat faced. Higher ballistic protection will require thicker fiber glasses which translate to higher prices.

Replace windows with bullet-resistant glazing steel frames: Bullet resistant glazing steel frames can be expensive, and one needs to choose one depending on the level of threat. There is no need of spending on thick and expensive glaze steel frames when faced with a very small threat.

Only replace windows required for interior lighting: Most shooters will shoot once they have a clear target in sight. See-through windows used for interior lighting are good targets for bad guys to take a shot. Windows that are not see-through should not be necessarily replaced unless the potential risk expected is high. Being able to hide a target is as good as stopping a bullet. Never at any point give an assailant a potential view of the people inside the house.

Conclusion

Well, those are some of the few ways you can easily protect your home from intruders, looters and any other people with ill-intentions. However, remember bulletproofing your home is not enough as assailants can gain entry into your home. Overall, you need to make your home secure by installing necessary security gadgets like alarms and motion sensors.

If there is one thing we cannot run away from is the reality of being attacked physically at some point in life. You’ve probably have fought someone in a self-defense scenario or seen someone been attacked in public. Getting physically engaged in a fight is not the best choice whenever faced with imminent danger. The first thing to do is run for safety. However, when you’re corned, then self-defense is the only thing standing between you and your life.

What about when faced with a much bigger person than you?

Well, this is where self-defense comes in and helps you immobilize a physically bigger person than you. There are two main things you need to do to defend yourself in case of a physical attack. First, you must work out regularly and be physically fit. Body fitness is the foundation of all self-defense martial arts. The second thing is to learn the technique which will help you subdue a bigger opponent.

In this article, we are going to look at some of the best martial arts for self-defense that you can easily learn.

You don’t have to learn all of them but one or two that will best work for you.

Best Martial Arts for Self-Defense

1. Krav Maga

Krav maga is one of the best martial arts for self-defense created by Imi Lichtenfield. This art was developed in Israel for Israel’s arm but is now available worldwide with martial arts experts teaching it in major cities. The main goal of this program is to quickly neutralize the enemy through simultaneous defense and attack. In Krav Maga, you don’t block your opponent and wait for an opportunity to attack. Here, you simply attack and in the process an opportunity arises. Once properly initiated, the enemy has no chance no matter his size.

The art targets the vulnerable parts of the human body such as the eyes, the neck, the face, the throat, the groin and the fingers. This is a deadly self-defense program and one that is advised in a dead and life situation. Currently, this is the official combat style for the Israel Defense Forces.

2. Taekwondo

Taekwondo is a common self-defense program and one you’ve probably seen in movies. This is a famous martial art from Korea where power kicks are used to subdue the attacker in a matter of seconds. In Korea, there were nine schools recognized by the government teaching a different form of taekwondo by the year 1955. This nine forms of taekwondo united to form the taekwondo taught today.

It is a unique form of self-defense where kicks are aimed at a target in specific places where one lose conscious giving you space to escape. Taekwondo remains the only martial art for self-defense that is on the list of the Olympic Sports to date.

3. Commando Krav Maga/Combat Survival

This is a grappling martial art that was developed by Moni Aizik and is usually based on judo. The art was created with the sole aim of protecting people’s lives in real life threats where guns and knives are involved. Most people tend to confuse this method with Krav Maga, but these two are entirely different. While there are similarities between these two arts, Commando Krav remains an effective self-defense art that can help you in a real-life situation. Techniques taught inside the program are applicable in a real-life situation. However, you need to practice and master it before you can apply the program in a real-life situation.

4. JUJUTSU

JUJUTSU is a famous Japanese martial art that was developed by the Samurais to protect themselves whenever they were disposed of their swords in a fight. The term jujutsu translates to the art of softness in English. The art uses the aggressiveness of the attacker to build momentum and help you fight them back. The technique here is to divert the attacker’s energy in any manner you prefer rendering his attack useless and giving you an opportunity to strike back. Majority of the moves used in this technique are kicks, throws, and joint locks.

5. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

This is an adapted version of the JUJUTSU martial art but one based on judo. This move is quite effective when facing a physically large person. Instead of trying to use brutal force that will not match to his force, you’re taught on how to use leverage. The program was developed the Gracie brothers Helio and Carlos. The smallest brother Helio always found himself at a disadvantage fighting his big brother and developed this program to leverage his brutal strength.

6. Muay Thai

This is one of the best martial arts for self-defense developed in Thailand and one that makes every part of your body a weapon for self-defense. The program teaches you how to make your hands become daggers and swords. Forearms and shins can be used as a suit of armor to protect your body.

Conclusion

Learning how to protect yourself in case of an attack is one of the best investments you can make in life. The world is faced with looming danger everywhere we go, and self-defense is the only way to remain safe. The government will not protect you everywhere you go so take necessary steps and learn these basic moves to remain safe.

Probably you’ve heard many stories about physical attacks that happened to someone when walking down the street, or about cases of kidnapping. Surely, you felt very bad and thought that people should always feel secure no matter where they are or what time it is. But…have you ever thought that there is a high probability that you can also become a victim of some kind of physical attack? I am sure, most of you will think: “Oh no, that will never happen to me!”. But how do you know that? How can you know what will happen in the future, when you don’t even know what will happen after just one hour?

Physical attacks always happen when you do not expect them at all. Sometimes, a “kind” stranger can ask you to help him or her with something and you will never feel a danger in that moment. However, you will soon understand that it was just a trap and that you are in a huge danger. What can you do possibly do when a similar scenario happens to you?

In any kind of situation in our life, the best thing you can do for yourself is being prepared! Whenever you face a physical attack, mugging, home invasion or kidnapping, you always have two choices: either getting surprised and not being able to protect yourself or being ready to make corresponding actions! Surely, the best thing is choosing the second version. Even when you do not have the required skills in this moment, we recommend starting from today and learning the basic techniques of self-defense.

So, you can find basic things that you need to learn and understand in order to be safe from any physical attack.

1. There is no need to be physically strong!

So, when starting your way, the first and foremost thing that you need to understand is that you do not need to have strong physical properties to protect yourself. According to the professionals, all that matter are the necessary skills. So, you need to concentrate on those skills that will help you during attacks.

2. Learn what are your enemy’s biological weaknesses!

Every person has his or her weaknesses. Indeed, this principle works here too. However, here we speak about the biological weaknesses that are common for most people. It is highly recommended to explore and learn about these weaknesses beforehand. What will this give to you? You can absolutely use your knowledge and damage the person who tries to attack you physically.

3. Learn basics of kickboxing, TaeKwondo, and Judo!

Take a moment to imagine how scared the attacker would be if he or she understands how much you know! Learning basics of those martial arts will make you more confident and will also help you act natural, quick and calm whenever you face a physical attack.

4. Learn what you should never do!

Yes, you already to know that there must-do things during those dangerous situations. But that is not all! There are also crucial things you should never do when you feel that someone tries to attack you. These “banned” actions can only worsen your situation and that is the reason you need to carefully study them.

5. Learn techniques that you must use during the extreme situations!

Unfortunately, there are many situations when the attacker not only wants to steal money but also the life of the victim. So, for these extreme situations, you need to know more than just the simple techniques! Learn some military techniques that are usable during the most dangerous situations.

6. Learn about the weapons the attackers carry with them!

Knowing this information is no less important than the others mainly because usually, the attackers try to create a panic situation with the help of those weapons. So, learning what weapons attackers usually take with them will give you a chance to also learn what to do in each case. This makes you more prepared and again, more confident.

7. Learn what weapons you should always have with you!

Having some basic weapons recommended by professionals will increase the probability that you will get rid of the attacker without having many injuries.

8. Do not be afraid!

Yes, even the idea of being attacked is scary. And learning all of the things mentioned can also seem difficult. But remember, once you start learning them, you will accept that they are not that much difficult and that the time and resources spent were totally worth it!

Also, keep in your mind as a moving force, is that you do not learn to protect yourself only for yourself! Always remember that all the techniques you learn are also crucial to protect your family. Learn how to protect yourself and your family, and always feel confident and safe!